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The Stormwater Fee is a result of the Federal Clean Water Act of 1972 and amendments thereafter. The regulations require cities to make improvements to reduce pollution from storm water runoff. These improvements include public education as well as removing pollution at the source. There are no federal or state dollars provided to implement water-quality measures, so the stormwater fee has been adopted. The fee also provides dedicated revenue for constructing more facilities to decrease drainage problems and flooding as well as providing maintenance of those already constructed. Learn more about stormwater fees.

A number of factors may contribute to poor water quality. Some of the main culprits are runoff of fertilizers and pesticides from yards, oil and grease from cars, and sediment from construction sites. Trash, run off of hazardous materials, dumping of waste, and spills are other pollutants that degrade water quality. Natural occurrences such as algae blooms, although often triggered by pollution, may also contribute to a decline in water quality. Read more about stormwater pollution.

Storm water runoff results from rainfall. Typically, the more rainfall we get the less likely that the rainwater will be absorbed into the soils resulting in more stormwater reaching our storm drains, ditches, streams, lakes, and reservoirs.

For the most part, storm drains are located within the limits of the streets. Water typically flows across the land onto the road and gutters and into storm water inlets that are connected to the stormwater drainage pipes. In the more rural areas, stormwater is conveyed along roadside ditches.